Starry lives, dark troubles

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Both of them are superstars. And quite surprisingly, their life trajectories have had similar peaks and troughs. The public have adored them for their films — be it the Munnabhai series, Dabangg, Agneepath, Bodygaurd or Ek Tha Tiger. But their ‘bad boy’ images have put them on the radar quite often. Lives of Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt have striking similarities. Charged with illegal possession of arms during the 1993 Mumbai blasts, Sanjay Dutt has been sentenced to five years in jail. Salman Khan is awaiting judgement on his hit-and-run and the blackbuck case. Their dramatic lives have caught the attention of a filmmaker.
“Their stories deserve to be told. Both these superstars have been caught on the wrong side of the law. Yet through their charitable organisations, they tend to help thousands of the needy. Those who know them well, find it difficult to colour them in black or white. As a Bollywood writer I found their lives worth portraying on-screen,” says Muazzam Beg, who had co-written Rockstar and recently announced his directorial venture Munna bhai Sallu bhai: Healers or Killers, a docu-drama revolving around the lives of the two megastars. He is on the lookout for fresh faces to cast in the film and will soon launch an online ‘All India casting competition’ for the same.
So how exactly did he manage to do the groundwork for his film? “I have been a part of the industry for almost a decade and have worked with established names. Over the years, I have heard interesting stories about these actors based on personal encounters from directors, producers and actors. Apart from that, I have been following their lives closely,” explains Beg. The film will go on floors on June 29, the birthday of Sanjay Dutt and is slated for release on December 27, Salman’s birthday.
Beg is consciously avoiding casting any familiar faces in the film. Audience has a tendency to associate actors with certain traits, he feels. “I could have chosen famous young actors to portray Sanjay and Salman. But I decided to use fresh faces so that the audiences do not get carried away by star power and focus on the narrative. That does not mean my film is going to be boring. It will have its share of song, dance and glamour,” informs Beg.
Does the film intend to influence the public opinion against these two stars? “Absolutely not. I will present both sides of these personalities — the good and bad. It will be an unbiased take on their lives. The paradoxical elements of their lives are worthy of cinematic expression,” he finishes.